Being out of work is hard on your self esteem and your budget. I've written before about how to get a side hustle going in order to earn some money while you're looking for a job, but now, I have 10 more ideas that can help you find the way that works for you.
When you are out of work, finding ways to earn money becomes crucial. Just because you're struggling to find the right full-time employment opportunity you need doesn't mean that there aren't any other options. What many people do is come up with small ways that they can market their skills to others in order to make a little cash. Even if you aren't ready to start your own business and don't have any money to put into your temporary career, you can still find ways to leverage your time and ablities for cold, hard cash.
When you're hustling, you have to treat every day like a new opportunity. There's no time for half-hearted measures. To make your side hustle successful, you need to be determined to do the best job you can and seize every opportunity. These skills are the exact same ones that will help you land the best full-time job, so why not practice them? Not only will you earn some money, but you'll have something to talk about during your next interview when you're asked about what you are currently doing for work.
Don't think a side hustle would work for you? Well, here are 10 more ways to get to hustling:
Get Crafty: If you can sew, knit, crochet or even just enjoy building things, there are ways that you can turn your crafts into cash. In fact, there has been a high demand over the past few years for homemade crafts. Websites like Etsy.com make it simple for crafters to connect with people who want to buy their goods. Use your imagination and make things that people want to buy. If you need some inspiration, take a look at what other people are selling and think about what you are good at. You may not end up with a second career from it, but it can generate some much needed revenue in the meantime.
Be an Editor/Proofreader: There are a growing number of freelance writers these days, and many of them need a good editor. If you have great English and grammar skills, this might be a great job for you. You can offer your services on Craigslist or through websites like Elance. If you want to be even more creative, try searching Twitter for tweets from people who need an editor. From there, it's a simple matter to contact the person and offer your services. Sure, you might not get the job every time, but it can be a great way to earn some extra money.
Personal Chef/Meal Delivery: Are you a great cook? If so, you might be able to find some side work cooking and delivering meals. There are many people who would be willing to pay someone to prepare them healthy, low-calorie meals to take to work or even to eat at home. Although it's important to check your local laws governing who can sell food, there are still many options for meal preparation. Some communities have kitchens that can be rented for a small fee and other areas may allow you to sell small amounts of food without a license. Even if you aren't much of a cook, you can always offer a meal delivery services at office buildings around you. You can take orders from workers and go pick up their food. Many people want to order from places that don't offer delivery, but they lack the time.
Scooping Poop: Don't laugh. Scooping poop is big business. I have known a few former construction workers who have had trouble finding stable work that have turned poop scooping into a lot of money. Many people let their dogs out in their yard but are unable to get out there and manage the mess. Fill the need by offering to come in and clean the yard for a fee. As a side note, the people I know who did this have been widly successful and probably won't return to construction work any time soon.
Christmas Light Installer: Do you enjoy hanging Christmas lights? Offer your help to those who don't have the time or ability to decorate themselves. There are many seniors and busy professionals who would be willing to pay someone to take care of this chore for them. To add value to your service, you can even offer design services as well.
Dial-a-Santa: You don't have to look like Santa to offer a Christmas service. You can offer your services to parents who want to hire Santa to call their children. This might take a little creativity but it could be a blast and make you a lot of money.
Design T-shirts: There are so many websites where you can create and sell your own T-shirts. All you have to do is have a great design. If you're creative and have some graphic design skills, this might be a great side job. If you want to increase your customer base, try looking for groups in your area that don't have a logo or a T-shirt. Bowling teams, PTAs and even book clubs might be interested in a cute T-shirt.
Errands: If you don't have a job and have a lot of time on your hands, why not run errands for a fee? It's simple to do and there is a huge demand for the service. If you don't have a car or aren't able to get out as much, you can look for virtual assistant jobs on Elance.
Video Editing: If you know how to use video-editing software, why not make some money with it? You can advertise your services to people across the country on sites like Craigslist and make some money by helping people edit their home movies.
Lawn Care: You don't have to be a kid to cut grass. In fact, many real estate companies and golf courses need a great lawn care company. All you need is a lawn mower and a weed whacker to make some extra money.
If you think creatively, you're sure to find a few ways that you can make the most of your skills and earn a little money while you're looking for a job. Don't let the tight job market make you think that you don't have any options. Instead, get busy on your side hustle.
What do you do to earn extra money? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
Source: The Art of Manliness; Image Source: MorgueFile
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